OK we were on our last trip and the alternator belt broke. The guy who replaced the belt said that I should look at replacing the alternator because the pulley was kind of shaky. Wellll! we want to go on a trip in a few days and I can't get it in the shop to replace the alternator for over a week. I went out and started the engine and you know how the voltage gage goes from 8 to 18 (at least on mine it does). Well it's right in the middle so I suppose that's 13-14 volts. So I suspect the alternator is working. I just guess that I have to worry if the pully freezes up and blow another belt.

What would you guy do. Would you go on the trip or not...

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Shortcuts Always Take Longer

Don't tell me dave, that you know nothing about using generator to charge battery in case of emergency ?
Knowing you from this forum I say that you'll find where to hook up a jumper if you REALLY need it (brick on "emergecy start" button works too)

If the alternator belt that broke was realtivly new (<20,000 miles / less than 5 years) something caused the failure and a bad pulley could do it. Then again, the belt breaking could damage the pulley.

Go on the trip anyway but buy a spare belt to take along. For an extra ten bucks you make the trip and have some piece of mind.

However... see what else that belt drives. If it's the A/C or smog pump, who cares. If it drives power steering pump, water pump, or other vital auxillary you may want to get everything right first.

Do you know of another mechanic?
I would definitily not risk a trip with the alt in danger of letting go. Who knows what havoc a flying belt could wreak. I have seen a belt get caught in the others and actually bend pulleys and bust AC and power steering lines.

And do you know, that every few minutes someone is getting killed on american roads? And what about terrorist attacks? I think bill h is painting bad picture. I assume, that EVERY member of this forum is carrying full set of v-belts as a spare.
Now if the worse case scenario happens, and broken belt will take the next to it: You can drive without alternator basically forever with generator charging (with lights on -50 Amps charger my be to small, but for $40 you can add another one) You don't need AC compressor to drive, neither smog pump. Driving without power steering and power brakes is hard, but I happen to manage it on 200 miles trip from High Sierra. The only crucial is water pump.
So the point is, that almost everything has a backup. Just learn how to deal with it.

Two important points:

1. Just because I have this website should not imply that I am a mechanic. The opposite is true. Every think on this motorhome is a thingy and doohicky to me. If it wasn't for Rolands Mobile RV Sevice I would be in bad shape..

2. We love our Barth, however, we have never...never been on a trip where we didn't have at least one semi-major problem. We have had a wheel bearing go bad in Canada, 12v die in Oshkosh, windshield wipers die in a snow storm in N.Minnesota, cracked black water tank in IL, and broken Alternator belt in Wisconsin, water leak in Iowa.

I am nervous when ever I jump into this thing. But I am sure that soon, I will have changed every single part in the thing and then I will have a new motorhome.

And, I should say that even with the problems we have had, we are happy. When we went out that day 3 years ago to buy our motorhome we had budgeted $40K. We bought the Barth for $15K and have since put around $15K in it. We have not seen a $40K coach that is near as nice as ours so I figure we are way ahead. However, I wish we could have at least one long trip without a problem...

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[This message has been edited by davebowers (edited September 13, 2002).]

Dave, before you leave on your trip. I would replace the alternator and regulator (if external from alternator) keep the alternator you remove and have a new pulley installed. This will put your mind at ease and allow you and your family to enjoy rather than "will it last 50 more miles" or be stranded for awhile.

Keep the old alternator (with new pulley) as a spare ....

Keyword "PMS" PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE SERVICE

Regards, and enjoy your trip.

Al

Dave, I'm with you on that last post. I have a failure every trip. In fact, a one-failure trip is a cause for celebration. Last trip, we had the front AC shut off while running the gen, the fridge shuts off and beeps at us, and we had so much trouble backing in to a mountain campsite that axle wrap caused one Air Lift drive axle bag to blow. (Anyone know anything about traction bars on RVs?)Every trip we add to our "fix" or "to do" list. I can't keep up with it.

But, I have to say, that NOT ONE failure is any fault of Barth. It is the accessory or chassis items that are killing us. Like you, therte is nothing out there that would satisfy us for the money the way our Barth does.

And, if I sound overly concerned with avoiding disasters, it is perhaps due to my aircraft and military background. We get that way. I have done a lot of motorcycle and dune buggy racing, as well as general desert-ratting, and flying (and maintaining) my own airplanes. I have been greatly inconvenienced by mechanical failures, and will go to great lengths to avoid same.

BTW, your alternator has a built-in regulator. It has two mounting bolts. One long one and one short one for adjustment. There might be a third one on the back, I can't remember. One nut and one snap terminal for the wiring. It shouldn't be too hard to find a mechanic to replace it.

First I have to apologize to anybody offended by my sense of humor. Sometimes it gets out of control and became a style (its the thing I've got with genes )
Now, talking about bad experience - I am the one who during 5 weeks vacations starting in CA - had to leave broken motorhome in Ottawa, buy another one in Maryland, and spend 2 weeks in rented minivan somewhere between ( God thanks for good friends and family) . Things just happens and we have to deal with them. But as I said above - the motorhome is having so many back ups, that unless the engine throws the rod, or differential brakes in half - you can still keep going. Nobody wrote a good manual for it, so thanks for this Forum we can exchange the experience. I understand dave in his concerns, because being gifted fix it man - I have similar problems with computer software. And I am afraid dave, that just like I had to learn (by force) how to deal with computers - you suppose to learn more about the couch. So if the alternator brakes - put jumper wire between positive terminals of engine and house battery (at least 10 gauge) , make sure water pump is having the belt on, start up generator and ... keep going.

By the way, if you think about keeping old parts as a spare >> I have 3 car garage fill up with them

Sounds as if "Kajtek1" has plenty of money and loves to live on the edge. Of course, most mechanics I know has their vehicles wired together with bailing wire. Would hate to purchase the one he has for sale "which probably runs great" with all the 10,12,14 gauge wires jumped around from this to that.

Being retired military and retired aircraft engineer I still think PMS is a good method.

Al

You make my "sense of humor" coming back Al. I had to jump Barth once, but only BECAUSE I bought it from aircraft pilot, and before I got it home some negligence come up. But looks, like I mis presented my point. I agree, that PMS is excellent idea, and make lot of sense in aircraft, some in cars, but if you would like to use it in the housing, it could cost you between $100000 and $300000 a year every year to replace washers in the facets, wax gaskets in the toilet, caulk around tub, windows, and roof. Waxing and sealing tiles. Replace roof shingles every 5 years, pressure wash fences , driveways an about 4 termite inspections a year " just in case" . Do you know someone actually doing it ? I don't.
The whole idea about learning how to use backups is to save money and spending $100 for new alternator at home, instead of $900 on the road. And if someone in factory is installing "emergency start" button - it's a good idea to know what for.
And for the finish - professionals recommend to replace all automotive hoses and belts every 2 years regardless the mileage. Who does it hand up